Study Tools

Adam Bede

George Eliot

Analysis of Major Characters

Book First: Chapters 1–4

Themes

Inner vs. Outer Beauty

Eliot contrasts inner and outer beauty throughout the
novel to express the idea that external and internal realities do
not always correspond. Although Hetty is more physically beautiful
than Dinah, she is cold and ugly inside. Hetty’s outer beauty masks
her inner ugliness, especially to Captain Donnithorne and Adam.
Even when Hetty cries or is angry, she still appears lovely to both
men. Adam is so blinded by Hetty’s appearance that he often misinterprets
her tears and excitement as love for him. Hetty’s outer beauty also
blinds Captain Donnithorne such that he loses control when she cries
and he kisses her. Unlike Hetty, Dinah has an inner beauty because
she helps and cares for those around her. She comforts Lisbeth through
the mourning of her dead husband, and Adam takes notice of this.
Adam does not think Dinah is as physically beautiful as Hetty, but
he is drawn to her love and mission to help those around her. His
feelings for Dinah change after he witnesses Dinah consoling Hetty,
and Adam begins to see Dinah as outwardly beautiful. Eliot’s description
of the natural beauty of the English countryside also shows the
contrast between internal and external beauty. On the day Hetty
wanders off to find Captain Donnithorne, the day is beautiful and
the countryside is magnificent. However, Hetty suffers enormously
under the weight of her plight. Eliot uses this contrast to encourage
the reader to look beyond the surface and explore a deeper meaning.

The Value of Hard Work

One of the chief differences between the good characters
and the evil characters is their commitment to working hard. Most
of the characters in Adam Bede are hard-working
peasants who spend their days laboring on farms, in mills, or in
shops. Those characters are generally characterized by gentle intelligence
and simple habits. They do their best not to harm others, and they
produce goods others can use and value. Examples are Mrs. Poyser,
whose dairy supplies the other villagers and whose cream cheese
is renowned in the area; Adam, whose skills in carpentry are unmatched
and who is a good and fair manager of people and resources; and
Dinah, who works in a mill. By contrast, those few malingerers in
the novel are generally evil as well as lazy. The strongest example
of laziness is Captain Donnithorne, who often complains that he
has nothing to do, and whose boredom may well have contributed significantly
to Hetty’s downfall. If Captain Donnithorne had been busy sowing fields,
he might not have engaged in his illicit and unwise affair. Those
who work hard take pride in their work, and they do not harm others
because they are careful and meticulous and do not have time for
idle self-indulgence.

Love as a Transformative Force

Love has the power to transform characters in the novel.
The characters who love are portrayed as gentle, kind, and accepting.
Dinah, for example, is a preacher but is never preachy. She accepts
Hetty as she is, even when Hetty is peevish and selfish toward her.
Dinah’s love transforms Hetty in jail because she comforts and listens
to Hetty and does not judge her. Before, Hetty was selfish and only thought
about her own happiness. After, she is sincerely sorry for the shame
she caused her family and even apologizes to Adam. Another example
is Mrs. Poyser, and how she can be harsh toward those she loves.
When Hetty’s crime comes to light, Mrs. Poyser is the only one in
her family who does not seem to judge Hetty. Here, Mrs. Poyser transforms
from strict and critical to a loving and accepting woman. The one
character that is not transformed by love is Mrs. Irwine, who is
critical and sharp and never manages to help others. She does not
feel, and so she is neither transformed by love nor capable of transforming
others. For example, at Captain Donnithorne’s coming-of-age party,
one of her presents to a peasant girl is an ugly gown and a piece
of flannel. This gift only aggravates the girl and makes her reject
the present. Mrs. Irwine thinks she is giving the girls only what
they deserve, and therefore she is not transformed by love because
she does not care for anyone. Love only transforms the characters
that want to help people other than themselves.

The Consequences of Bad Behavior

Bad behavior and wrongdoing have consequences that extend beyond
the wrong-doer, and even relatively small transgressions can have
massive collateral effects. The central lesson from Hetty’s experience
with Captain Donnithorne is that doing the right thing is important
because doing the wrong thing might hurt others in ways that cannot
be controlled. Though Captain Donnithorne is not inherently evil,
he provokes bad behavior in Hetty because she cannot go to him for
help when she learns that she is pregnant. Hetty is ashamed and
only thinks of herself when she commits her crime. As she awaits
the trial, Hetty does not think about how her bad behavior affected
anyone else: she does not consider the shame she has caused the
Poysers or the effect her crime has on Adam. Hetty feels no real
remorse for her sins and just wishes to not be reminded of any wrong
she has done. Eventually, she apologizes to Adam and asks God for
forgiveness, but the lesson of the story is that bad behavior, evil,
and wrongdoing cannot be undone.

Motifs

Natural Beauty

Eliot’s description of the natural beauty of the English
countryside, especially in scenes of great sadness or evil, expresses
the idea that external and internal realities do not always correspond.
For example, when Hetty wanders off toward Windsor to find Captain
Donnithorne, the day is beautiful and the countryside is magnificent. The
reader would think Hetty’s stunning looks combined with the sunny
countryside backdrop would describe an equally joyful scene in the
book. However, unbeknownst to the reader, Hetty suffers enormously
under the weight of her plight. Although Hetty herself is beautiful,
her appearance contrasts with her internal character, which is weak,
selfish, and ugly. Unlike Dinah, who is beautiful both externally
and internally, Hetty has no inner beauty. Eliot uses the contrast
between internal and external beauty to encourage the reader to
look beyond the surface of people and things to their deeper characteristics
and meanings.

Dogs

The dogs in the novel reflect the temperament of the characters
with respect to helpless beings. Adam’s dog, Gyp, loves his master.
He is happy and trusting and devoted to Adam. Gyp’s condition reflects Adam’s
love of the helpless and his desire to help and care for those who
depend on him. Mr. Massey’s dog is also healthy but cowers whenever
Mr. Massey displays his split personality. As one who deeply cares
for the helpless, Mr. Massey can be grouchy and crotchety even while
he provides nourishment and assistance to those in need. Mr. Irwine
has dogs, who are happy and contented. They laze around the hearth.
As his relationship with his dogs suggests, Mr. Irwine is kind and
gentle toward those who depend on him, but he is a little lazy and
cares more for the comforts of his home.

Narrative Sarcasm

The narrator in Adam Bede butts into
the story to provide ironic and often sarcastic commentary on the
characters and the reader’s impression of them. The narrator pokes
fun at the reader, especially the imagined, haughty reader who has
a low opinion of such simple characters as Adam and Mr. Irwine.
Making fun of the reader has two effects. First, it feeds the idea
that the nobility is frivolous and a bad judge of character. The
narrator clearly approves of the characters, and the narrator calls
into question the reader’s judgment by suggesting that the reader
does not. Second, the satire keeps the narrative brisk and the tone
light. The narrator pushes the heavy idea that readers should not
judge others and that they should love their neighbors. To avoid
becoming preachy, the narrator uses humor, and a big part of that
humor is in the sarcasm.

Symbols

Gates

The characters in the novel frequently linger around gates
and pass through gates outside homes and in the fields. The gates
suggest major changes in the characters’ lives, as when Hetty passes
through the gates as she walks toward the Chase to meet Captain
Donnithorne, leaving the innocence of childhood behind and walking into
a very adult situation. The gates outside the characters’ homes also
represent the attempt to keep the affairs of the heart private. Those
who are allowed to pass through those gates are allowed into the
heart of the family and into its most intimate secrets. Adam does not
create any disturbance when he comes through the gates at Hall Farm:
he is an accepted and beloved member of the community, and he enters
quietly and respectfully. In contrast, Captain Donnithorne creates
a huge ruckus whenever he enters. He loudly calls to Dinah at one
point, and at other points he arrogantly makes his presence known.
Adam comes quietly into the Poysers’ confidence while Captain Donnithorne
brings noise, disturbances, and, ultimately, shame.

Hearth and Home

The hearth and home are the sources of nourishment in
the novel, and their images recur repeatedly as the grounding force
of the characters’ lives. The most prominent example of hearth and
home is Hall Farm, the home of the Poysers. Each of the scenes at
the farm returns to the hearth, where the grandfather sits and around
which the whole family gathers. Problems are discussed and conflicts
are resolved around the hearth. In the same way, at the Bedes’ home,
life revolves around the hearth in the kitchen. Lisbeth’s whole
day is spent there, and Dinah is useful and praised when she visits
because of her ability to clean, cook, and do chores near the fireplace.
The strongest and most worthwhile characters are those who spend
the most time around the hearth.

Clothing

The characters’ choice of clothing represents important
qualities of their nature, showing on the outside how they choose
to represent themselves to the world. Hetty, for example, dresses
in the best finery she can get, whereas Dinah dresses all in black
with a simple cap. Hetty’s ostentatious dress symbolizes the shallow,
flashy nature of her character, and when her dress falls into disrepair
on her trip, it tracks the disintegration of her spirit. By contrast,
Dinah’s black gown and simple dress symbolize her practical love
of simple things. She chooses not to put herself forward but to
shrink into the background and come forward only when she can help
others. Characters’ clothing choices reflect fundamental truths
about their natures.